ESL announce IEM Katowice format
With qualifiers for the IEM Katowice event in February looming, ESL have announced more information about the event itself. In this, they have revealed the format the group stage and playoffs shall be using.
Using a modification of the well known GSL system, the 16 teams will compete in two groups of eight. The first round of games will be best-of-ones, before moving everything over to best-of-threes. From each group the top three teams qualify to the playoffs, with the group winners going straight to the semifinals after a final seeding match. The whole group stage will take three days to complete, taking place between February 27th and March 1st.
The playoffs are effectively the same as the previous IEM World Championship tournament, with best-of-threes throughout until the grand final. The second and third placing teams from each group will battle it out in the quarterfinals before moving on in the competition. This is where the tournament moves into the arena, with the quarterfinals taking place on March 2nd, the semifinals on March 3rd and the grand final on March 4th.
More information is available on the IEM Katowice website, including tickets and timings. Invites are still to be announced, with the qualifiers are to take place at the end of January.
